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US election 2024: Voters head to polls to pick new president
What you need to know
It’s Election Day in the United States after both campaigns held rallies in Pennsylvania the night before.
Eligible voters have a final chance Tuesday to go to the polls and choose between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz or Republican ex-President Donald Trump and his VP pick JD Vance.
Early voting was extremely popular this year, with 75 million people of the 161 million registered voters having already cast their ballot.
With pre-election polling showing one of the closest races ever, it is possible that key states like Pennsylvania and Nevada may be too close to call on election night.
Here’s a roundup of the latest developments in the race to the White House on November 5, 2024:
Fact check: Can noncitizens vote in US elections?
In the lead up to Election Day, unfounded claims of voter fraud and alleged loopholes in the voting system have gained traction on social media.
A recent wave of viral posts assert that noncitizens vote in the US, implying that US voting laws are too lax to prevent this.
“I am German, but since voting in America doesn’t require an ID, I made a road trip and voted a total of 86 times in several swing states,” reads a tweet that was viewed about 4.5 million times in three days.
DW fact checked the post and found it was false. Read more on how we reached the conclusion.
Why is Pennsylvania so important?
Pennsylvania has 19 electoral votes — more than any other battleground state.
The eastern state is suffering more from the rising cost of living than most other places, making the economy top of the list of its voters’ concerns.
At the same time, fracking has made it the country’s second-biggest natural gas producer after Texas. Trump has long promoted fracking. Harris previously called for a ban but she is now keeping options open, albeit with stricter regulations.
The state hosted the only live debate between Harris and Trump on September 10, and it was where Trump was subject to an assassination attempt in July.
Biden won the state in 2020.
What is the Electoral College?
DW takes a look at the Electoral College, the body that determines who gets elected president of the United States.
Residents in the southern Indian ancestral village of Harris held prayers for her victory on Election Day.
Harris’ maternal grandfather, P.V. Gopalan, was born over a century ago in the village of Thulasendrapuram in what is now Tamil Nadu state.
Outside the temple, a large banner wishes “the daughter of the land” success in the election.
On Monday evening, Harris spent the last day of campaigning in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she seemed confident to win.
“The momentum is on our side. We will win,” Harris told the crowd. “Just one more day in the most consequential election of our lifetimes and the momentum is one our side. This could be one of the closest races in history — every single vote matters.”
Harris, 60, spoke at the famous steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where the movie “Rocky” was shot. She called herself the underdog like Rocky, who was ready to “climb to victory.”
The event featured some A-list celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey and Jon Bon Jovi.
Also on the last day of campaigning, Harris’ rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, saw celebrities like Cedric the Entertainer, Katy Perry and Andra Day.
On Monday, Trump held rallies in the swing states of North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
In his final campaign speech, Trump mused that god may have saved him from an assassin’s bullet so that he could become president, adding that he has a 95% chance of winning.
If elected, he said he would end inflation, deport irregular migrants and impose tariffs on goods entering the United States from Mexico and Canada.
He also promised the “four greatest years in the history of the country.”
His speeches at each rally also involved false claims about voter fraud and migrants committing crimes.
Trump called for the death penalty for migrants who kill US citizens or law enforcement officers.
“I am hereby calling for the death penalty for any migrant that kills an American citizen or a law enforcement officer,” he told a crowd at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Trump, 78, has consistently held an anti-immigrant rhetoric during his campaign.
In the days leading up to Election Day, Trump and his allies, who believe the 2020 election was “stolen,” have been escalating allegations of voter fraud.
“They are fighting so hard to steal this damn thing,” he said in Pennsylvania on Sunday. “We should have one-day voting and paper ballots.”
What other votes are being held on Election Day?
DW looks at what other votes are set to occur on 5 November.
Trump and Harris both campaigned in the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania on the eve of the presidential election.
The northeastern state has 19 electoral votes, making it the biggest prize among the seven battleground states in the US. Either Trump or Harris will need at least 270 electoral votes to become the next US president.
Speaking during the final hours of her campaign, Harris promised to be a “president for all Americans” if elected.
“The race is not over,” she said, acknowledging the tight battle for the White House. “Make no mistake, we will win,” she added.
Trump spoke at a rally in the city of Reading on Monday evening, where he criticized incumbent President Joe Biden’s administration on its economic performance.
“What a shame, what they’ve done to our country. They’ve destroyed our country, but we’re going to get it back, and fast. We’re a nation in decline, but that will not be long, believe me. And after four years of economic suffering, we will create the greatest economic boom the world has ever seen.”
Meanwhile, a Pennsylvania judge has decided to allow billionaire Elon Musk to continue giving away $1 million (€900,000) every day to registered swing state voters and NATO chief Mark Rutte insisted the military alliance will “stay united” regardless of who ends up in the White House.
DW